ing he heard a noife in Mrs. Murray's room, he went down ftairs and fetched a sword and pistol, and as the door ftood partly open, he went in, and laying down his arms to look under the bed, Mrs. Murray rang the bell, and alarmed the family.

The jury having confidered the evidence, brought him in guilty, and he received fentence of death: but Mrs. Murray's relations interceding in his behalf, he was afterwards pardoned on condition of transportation.

This affair made a great noife at the time it happened, and many perfons did not fcruple to infinuate that Gray had been admitted to favours which might warrant his entering the lady's chamber at any hour.

The fingle reflection arifing from this story is, that illicit pleasures lead to difgrace; there is no doubt but there was fome foundation for this profecution. If Gray had been previously too intimate with the lady, fhe was punished by the expofure of a public trial; if otherwife, he was punished for the attempt in the ignominy of a public conviction. Hence let it be learnt that chastity is a virtue which cannot be prized at too high a rate!

The fingular Cafe of NATHANIEL HAWES, who was hanged for a Robbery.

THE

HE fubject of this narrative was a native of Norfolk, in which county he was born in the year 1701. Hawes's father was a grazier in ample circumftances, but dying while the fon was an infant, a relation in Hertfordshire took care of his education.

At

At a proper age he was apprenticed to an upholsterer in London; but becoming connected with people of bad character, and thus acquiring an early habit of vice, he robbed his mafter when he had ferved only two years of his time; for which he was tried at the Old Bailey, and being convicted of stealing to the amount of thirty-nine fhillings, he was fentenced to seven years transportation.

But the fentence thus awarded against Hawes was not carried into execution, owing to the following circumstance. A man named Phillips had encouraged the unhappy youth in his depredations, by purchafing, at a very low rate, fuch goods as he ftole from his master: but when Hawes was taken into cuftody he gave information of this affair, in confequence of which a search-warrant was procured, and many effects belonging to Hawes's mafter were found in Phillip's poffeffion.

Hereupon application was made to the king, and a free pardon was granted to Hawes, whereby he was rendered a competent evidence against Phillips, who was tried for receiving the stolen goods, and was tranfported for fourteen years.

We are forry to relate the fequel of this tale. Hawes, during his confinement in Newgate, had made fuch bad connections as greatly contributed to the contamination of his morals; and foon after his release he connected himself with a fet of fellows who acted under the direction of Jonathan Wild, and having made a particular acquaintance with one John James, they joined in the commiffion of a number of robberies.

After an uncommon fhare of fuccefs for fome days, they quarrelled on the divifion of the booty, in confequence of which each acted on

his own account. Some little time after they had thus feparated, Hawes, being apprehenfive that James would impeach him, applied to. Jonathan Wild, and informed againft his old acquaintance, on which James was taken into cuftody, tried, convicted, and executed.

Notwithstanding this conviction the court fentenced HAWES to be imprifcafd in New-Prifon, and that gaol was preferred to Newgate, because the prifoners in the latter had threatened to murder Hawes, for being an evidence against James.

Soon after this commitment, Hawes and another fellow made their efcape, and entering into partnership, committed a variety of robberies, particularly in the road between Hackney and Shoreditch. This connection, like the former, lafted but a fhort time: a difpute on dividing their ill-gotten gains occafioned a feparation.

Soon after this diffolution of the partnership, Hawes went alone to Finchley-Common, where meeting a gentleman riding to town, he prefented a piftol to his breaft, and commanded him inftantly to difmount, that he might fearch him for his money.

The gentleman, offered him four fhillings, on which Hawes fwore the moft horrid oaths, and threatened inftant death, if he did not immediately fubmit. The gentleman quitted his horfe,

* By an act of the 4th and 5th of William and Mary, for the more effectual conviction of highwaymen, the evidence of accomplices is allowed; but the evidence cannot claim his liberty unless two or more of his accomplices are convieted; but may be imprisoned during the pleasure of the court.

and

and in the fame moment feized the piftol, which he fnatched from the hand of the robber, and prefenting it to him, tol him to expect death if he did not furrender himself.

Hawes, who was now as terrified as he had been infolent, made no oppofition; and the driver of a cart coming up juft at that juncture, he was eafily made prifoner, conveyed to London, and committed to Newgate.

When the feffion came on, and he was brought to the bar, he refused to plead to his indictment, alledging the following reafon for fo doing; viz. that he would die as he had lived, like a gentleman: "The people (faid he) who apprehended "me, feized a fuit of fine cloaths, which I in"tended to have gone to the gallows in; and unlefs they are returned I will not plead; for no one fhall fay that I was hanged in a dirty fhirt "and ragged coat."

2

On this he was told what would be the confe quence of his contempt of legal authority: but this making no impreffion on him, fentence was pronounced that he fhould be preffed to death, whereupon he was taken from the court, and being laid on his back, fuftained a load of two hundred and fifty pounds weight about seven minutes; but unable any longer to bear the pain, he entreated that he might be conducted back to the court, which being complied with, he pleaded "Not guilty" but the evidence against him being compleat, he was convicted, and fentenced to die.

After conviction his behaviour was very improper for one in his fituation. He told the other. capital convicts that he would die like a hero; and behaved in the fame thoughtless way till the arrival of the warrant for his execution: after which his conduct was not altogether fo fcanda

lous.

lous. He owned to the Ordinary of Newgate, that he was induced to refufe to plead to his indictment, that the other prifoners might deem him a man of honour, and not from the idle vanity of being hanged in fine cloaths.

He acknowledged many robberies which he had committed; but charged Jonathan Wild as being the principal author of his ruin, by purchafing the ftolen goods. He likewife owned that he had been bafe enough to inform against perfons who were innocent, particularly a gentleman's fervant, who was then in cuftody; but he did not discover many figns of contrition for this or any other of his offences.

He was executed at Tyburn on the 22d of December, 1721,

The inferences to be drawn from the cafe of this malefactor are obvious. By his informing against James, leaft James fhould impeach him, we fee how little confidence thieves can place in each other; and that partnerships in wickedness are fure to end in destruction.

From the refiftance made by the gentleman whom Hawes attacked, and the confequent apprehenfion of the offender, we may fairly conclude that there is a cowardice naturally attached to guilt, which will almoft infallibly favour the caufe of the honeft man.

Narrative of the Life and Trial of WILLIAM BURRIDGE, who was hanged for horse-stealing.

HIS offender, was a native of Northamptonshire, and ferved his time with a carpenter; but giving full proofs of his knavish difpofition, and having ruined feveral young women, his friends determined to fend him to fea, as

the